People often come into the new Flower Bar on Reid Street asking if the place is a flower shop or a bar.

There are flowers in a fridge on one side, and a long white bar top running down the other, with various spirits and glasses stashed on a shelf near by.

Owner Steven Faries’s answer: “It is both.”

“It is a combination,” he said. “We call it an experience bar.”

The new Flower Bar at 7 Reid Street on the outside of the Washington Mall in Hamilton offers on-the-go flower bouquets next to chic floral-infused cocktails and classes in flower-arranging and mixology.

“The concept is great for the corporate world, or for a girls’ night out, a ‘hen night’ or birthday party,” Mr Faries said.

When he and business partner, Shane Francis, opened in July, it was the realisation of a plan put on hold for four years.

“I opened another flower shop, Exclusive Flowers, at 75 Reid Street a few years ago,” Mr Faries said. “My intention was to sell not only flower arrangements but also offer floral cocktails.”

With the pandemic, that idea was quickly shelved.

“We mostly sold flowers for funeral arrangements,” he said. “There were no events being planned so there was no point in opening the bar side of things.”

The flower side of The Flower Bar is now open to walk-in traffic, but classes and cocktails must be booked ahead of time, and are for groups of ten to 15 people.

The Flower Bar’s cocktails are inspired by the natural world. One offering is their flower bar spritz, which has pink flower petals on one side of the glass and includes St-Germain, an elderflower liqueur, Prosecco and lemongrass.

“That is our welcome drink,” said Flower Bar florist Nicola Costa.

Most of the flowers in the shop are imported from places such as New York, Kenya, the Netherlands and Colombia.

“We are looking to source more local flowers such as snapdragons and sunflowers,” Ms Costa said.

She previously worked as a florist in London.

“London is very fast-paced, while Bermuda is more laid-back,” she said. “However there are some amazing locations here to do events. We have done some gorgeous weddings down on the beaches and at all the beautiful hotels.”

Meanwhile, Mr Faries and Mr Francis became certified in the Training for Intervention Procedures, so they can also bartend in the business.

“I am old-fashioned,” Mr Francis said. “My favourite cocktail is a Manhattan.”

Mr Faries runs several businesses under the umbrella of Exclusive Events.

“Since starting in 2006, I have had many different challenges,” he said. “Covid-19 was one. Prior to the pandemic, we were doing a lot of business with hotels and corporations. Business was flowing.”

Ever since social distancing ended, he has been building his business back up, almost from scratch.

Business at The Flower Bar has been good since launching.

“Shortly after opening, we held a cocktail-making class with a temporary liquor licence,” Mr Faries said. “The feedback was really good.”

They have just received their full liquor licence.

“It was pretty straightforward,” Mr Faries said. “It took about two months, because the health department is also involved in the process. We had to be inspected, but everyone involved was very supportive.”

He is particularly proud that The Flower Bar is almost entirely eco-friendly.

“We are at about 98 per cent, so far,” he said.

The business uses only biodegradable plastic wrap and trash tin liners, and glass instead of plastic cups.

Mr Faries said: “To get to 100 per cent, we are going to change our lighting system so that the lights dim when the sun is out, and come on when the sun goes down or it is shady.”